Name: Hannah Laing
Occupation: DJ, producer
Nationality: Scottish
Recent Release: Hannah Laing's Into the Doof EP is out now.

If you enjoyed this Hannah Laing interview and would like to stay up to date with her music and current live dates, visit her on Instagram, Facebook, and Soundcloud.  



Do you think that some of your earliest musical experiences planted a seed for your interest in DJing?

For sure. Every time I would go to a rave, I would always wonder what it felt like to be on the other side. So it was inevitable that sooner or later I was gonna get my first set of decks!

I have always loved club music, but I was not initially a dancer very much. What was this like for you? How does being – or not being – a passionate dancer influence the way you deejay?

For me being a raver first helped me massively. I still rave on the dancefloor as much as possible.

Knowing how people behave on the dancefloor influences me for when I’m creating tension when DJing. I love being able to create long build ups or play those ‘ moment ‘ tracks at the right time.

For your own DJing, what were some of the most important things you learned from teachers/tutorials, other DJs, or personal experience?

The most important thing I learned was the art of warm up. I had a lot of older dj friends and they told me how important this was from the start.

When I eventually got the opportunity to warm up for some huge artists like Camelphat, MK etc I knew I had to set the tone in the right way to help the night flow!

How do you approach digging, what are you looking for, and what were some of the best finds of the past few weeks for you?

I always look back at older labels' back catalogues, that’s where I find the classic gems. For newer music I listen to DJs radio shows, and use all major platforms to search.  

How would you describe the experience of DJing, physically and mentally? Do you listen – and deejay - with your eyes open or closed?

DJing is the only time I feel fully switched off from the noise of the outside world. It is truly the best feeling in the world for me. Everyone connecting through music. I love knowing what I’m going to play next and seeing the reaction of each track on the dancefloor!

I always play with my eyes open as I love engaging with the crowd and watching everyone having fun.

How does the decision making process work during a gig with regards to the inclusion of key records, the next transition and where you want the set to go? How far do you tend to plan ahead during a set?

I always plan my first 4 tracks of a set. Make sure they’re in key and flow nicely. This allows me to get in flow and have more confidence in the set knowing those tracks work nicely together. After that I watch the dancefloor and how they react to each track.

I always make a playlist of tracks I think I want to play during that set but I end up dipping in and out of other playlists throughout.

When you're DJing, does it actually feel like you're inventing something on the spot – or are you inventively re-arranging patterns from preparations, practise or previous performances?

It just depends, sometimes I will repeat certain transitions that I know work because I like how they have connected with the crowd in previous sets.

However I try to keep each set as fresh and exciting as possible for myself and the audience. It keeps it exciting for me too.  

Do you engage with audiences/dancers - and how? Taking one of your online DJ mixes as an example, how does the experience and the way you deejay change when you subtract the audience?

I always engage with the crowd when possible. Catching their eye and giving someone a wave or hands in the air gets them hyped and that gives me energy.

When recording a mix online I’m focusing on which track flows with the next more than I would live. I obviously always want the tracks to flow nicely but when playing to a crowd I’m also thinking of the next track which the crowd would want to hear and figuring a way to mix that in the best way possible.

Collaboration is a key part of almost every aspect of music making, but it is stil rare in DJing. Do you have an idea why this is? Tell me about your own views on back-to-back DJing, interactions with live musicians or other forms of turning DJing into a more collective process.

I think back to back DJing is great, there’s nothing better than seeing artists you love being their own sound and style of DJing together. This brings a fresh, unique vibe to the dancefloor. I also love seeing the energy of the DJs bouncing off each other.

How important is dancing for our wellbeing on a personal and even on a societal level?

I think it is very important, I don’t ever see anyone dancing that looks sad.

Dancing is good for the soul. I always dance around a lot when I’m DJing. It makes me feel alive!!

Especially in the light of advances in AI, where do you see the role of humans in DJing versus that of technology? Can AI act as a collaborator or creative stimulus?

Ai can act as a collaborator if you use it in the right way. I used an ai voice in a recent dj intro - it sounds great and works so well on the dancefloor.

I think if you don’t take advantage of its use it’s actually a great tool to have.  

Tinnitus and developing hyperacusis are very real risks for anyone working with sound. Do you take precautions in this regard and if you're suffering from these or similar issues – how do you cope with them?

Wearing hearing protection is something I struggled to do for years. It used to make me feel disconnected from the crowd or feel like I was under water when wearing the ear plugs.

However recently I found ear plugs that really work for me - acs customs. These help massively. I also get my hearing checked every 6 months at a clinic local to me. It is free and helps me feel at ease that no issues have developed.

Do you feel as though DJing is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

Yes for me it is very different. The passion and creativity I express through music isn’t something that I do for ‘mundane’ tasks.

The time, effort and thought that go into music makes me disconnect from the world. It helps me feel at peace.

Let's imagine you lost all your music for one night and all there is left at the venue is a crate of records containing a random selection of music. How would you approach this set?

I would pick out the more well known records that I think would work the best and keep these separate. I would then have a listen through the ones I didn’t know thoroughly and get to know them as best as possible and play what I think would fit the night.

Knowing I have the security of the more well known ones to play when I felt right would make me feel more at ease.